While We're Gone: Bahama Archipelago
5 Million Years in the future...and the world's got the world's biggest cold shoulder! The Ice Age is now in full swing, and everyone everywhere is feeling its punch. But there is one last refuge from the bitter cold up north, or the blazing heat of South America and the Mediterranean: The Bahamas! Only this time, they're less waterlogged than before. That's because, in 5 million years time, the ice caps have done more than just extend at the poles, it also caused sea levels to fall faster than the stock market crash! As a result, places like Florida, the Keys, the Bahamas and the Caribbean Islands have all been given more land, and have become more connected. And with these new connections comes whole new species to work off of! Unfortunately, there is one minor downside; the lush jungles, while not completely gone, have receded to the main water areas and the beaches (e.g. palm trees). The rest has been replaced by scrubby grasslands, not unlike northern Florida. But there are those that can indeed thrive in this rainy, subtropical climate; most notably, a large hutia (a kind of rodent) relative known as the Caribbean Sea Rat. They're about the size of today's capybaras and act a lot like them, too. Because they can now access islands much easier now, they migrate across many miles to reach new grazing spots on the shores and in the shallows. The reason behind this being simple; they're taking over the role once reserved for manatees. See, while manatees aren't extinct, they're rare by this point, like the whales. But with that said, there is one species still kicking. And that species only lives near the archipelago. Called Shallowgrazers, they've developed a new way of feeding when food is scarce; like with sloths today, these large pinnipeds have developed a special type of algae that they use as a food stock when seaweed beds are...less than plentiful. Also swimming through the shallow waters of the Bahamian Archipelago is acute little creature that at first glance, resembles a seal. But it's actually a close relative of the Green Iguana, appropriately called the Sealguana. They swim like the plesiosaurs in days of old, eating small fish and shrimps. Despite how toothy it may look, it rarely if ever eats much of anything beyond shellfish and minnows. They give birth to live young, unlike their cousins on land, and live mostly aquatic lifestyles. The only exception to this is in the evening, when they scramble up on the shore to rest from a long day's hunt. But they're not the only beasts patrolling the tropical waters. No, alongside them is a powerful shark called the Shoalstalker: Descendant of the Tiger shark, it'll eat just about anything that moves, and then some! It's a solitary hunter, picking out the weaker of the Shallowgrazers and Caribbean Sea Rats, and ripping them to shreds to feed its ravenous appetite. But because the Shallowgrazers prefer the calm waters near what was once Cuba, that's mainly where they're stationed, but a few have been known to patrol elsewhere along the archipelago. Speaking of constant movers, enter the Crushclaw; a descendant of Bahamas land crabs, these large crustaceans are opportunists, scavengers and predators the length of a small rug! With claws the size of a human hand, they'll fight over their stretch of beach, living in burrows underneath the shoreline. They also can trek up to 5 miles every day in search of food, usually at night so as to avoid sharp-eyed birds or another notable predator of these islands. One that has grown much bigger due to the newfound diversity of the island. Being roughly the size of a small dog, and descended from the land iguanas, here comes the omnivorous Whiptail Spikeback! When hunting for small animals, it will disguise itself as a spiky bush, and will otherwise scavenge for carrion, sample the drought-resistant plants, and take a whack at the Crushclaws when on the shoreline. They're also rather territorial, using their sharp claws and whip-like tails for defense and attack. However, it's not just reptiles, mammals and fish that have all the fun; no, two particular bird residents come to mind that are more than a noteworthy addition to this colorful cast of characters. And who better to start with than one of the last known parrot species in the world, the Scarlet Nutcracker. A large species of parrot, its actually evolved a much more diverse diet despite the name; including fruits, carrion, nuts, and occasionally fish if they can find them. Roughly the size of a modern-day rooster, they live in small nesting groups near the rivers on the various islands, especially what was once Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. It's mostly thanks to their isolation from the rest of the world that these parrots live on, and the same goes to another species that we'll see at a later time. Regardless, these fliers migrate if food becomes scarce, they pair for life during the mating season, and are constantly preyed upon by two noted creatures. The first is a descendant of the American crocodile known as the Riverjumper (you can probably guess why it's called that), which will eat just about any meat in front of them or above them. The other is a descendant of the Cuban black hawk known as the Onyx Hawk; so-called, because of its near-shiny, onyx-like coating on its feathers. This coating's actually a secretion that makes their feathers waterproof, allowing them to temporarily dive into rivers and streams for hard-to-reach fish, or occasionally, baby Riverjumpers. The Onyx can be found...pretty much anywhere on the Archipelago, but prefers to be near rivers, where prey's most plentiful. The only major predator they fear is the mighty Riverjumper, resident river apex predator, and all-around foul-tempered reptile. And rightfully so, considering they can grow to be as long as a stretch limo! In short, despite the isolation, this archipelago is nothing short of unique, home to bizarre species; from large parrots, to amphibious rats, to grouchy land-crabs, this place has it all! Though, if you decide to go on vacation...try not swimming in the rivers, okay? We don't wanna get sued on our journey through this futuristic freezer. Category:While We're Gone Category:Future Earth Category:5 Million Years Category:Bahama Archipelago